


Four Seasons

by Straight_Nah (Multishipper13)



Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: OCs - Freeform, SkyClan (Warriors), ThunderClan WindClan ShadowClan and RiverClan do not exist anymore, future!fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-22
Updated: 2017-06-24
Packaged: 2018-11-17 11:55:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11274912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Multishipper13/pseuds/Straight_Nah
Summary: Hundreds of years after The Last Hope, the four once great clans have disintegrated into rival factions, waring for control of the Lakes Territories. Meanwhile, SkyClan has grown prosperous, expanding their own lands-but a storm is coming, and only the Chosen One can stop it. The Cursed Clan is rising, and the Clans will fall-unless a deaf Apprentice can find the Heart of the Clans





	1. Prologue and Allegiances

**Author's Note:**

> Look, a future!fic! This was beta'd by the wonderful, and supportive, (applause, please) Goldenmoonrider on fanfiction.net!

A black she-cat hung her head. A tear ran down her nose, hung suspended at the tip, then dropped into the pool of water in front of her. "Oh, my children." she sighed despondently, glancing at the pool. It depicted a clearing red with blood, bodies of warriors, queens, apprentices and kits strewn about, dead or dying. "Hush, Darkmoon," the tom beside her soothed,"There is still hope for them yet. Your daughter has been reincarnated, far away from the Territories. She can bring back the Old Ways." Darkmoon raised her head, hope glinting in her green eyes."Yes, you are right, Forestshade." then a hard look entered her eyes. "What of the Cursed Clan?" she asked, spitting out the name as if it were mousebile. "They will pay." Foreatshade answered. Darkmoon nodded. "Who is to deliver the prophecy?" she pondered. "I will, Great Mother." "Who are you, Childe?" Darkmoon asked. "I am Clearsky, Great Mother." replied the pretty tortoiseshell. "This is a great burden to bear, Childe." Darkmoon warned, "You will have to travel through Cursed territory." "I know, honorable Mother, and I am prepared to give up my life." Clearsky stated. "Then go, my Childe, and may the Fates be with you."

* * *

Allegiances

SkyClan

Leader: Silvermoon*: Aged brown, grey, orange, and black furred she-cat with a silver moon marking on her forehead.*

Deputy: Leafshade**: Dappled green eyed tom.

Apprentice: Whitesky***: Pure white she-cat with mismatched yellow and amber eyes.

Medicine-Cat: Riversong: Brown tom with red dapples.

Apprentice: Silentpaw: Ginger she-cat with a black overcoat. Most Warriors think she is mute, as she does not talk often, and then only when she has something important to say.

Warriors

Mistclaw: White and grey tom with hazel eyes.

Apprentice: Reedpaw: Marbled lavender she-cat with ginger socks and brown tail rings.

Copperflame: Copper eyed she-cat with a brown and tortoiseshell pelt with a fiery determination

Palewhisper: Very light brown and white she-cat with almost white blue eyes

Apprentice: Willowpaw: Blue she-cat with brown tabby markings.

Swallowfeather: Black and white tom with green eyes.

Lightningstripe: Brown tabby she-cat with a lightning shaped red stripe down the side of her pelt.

Dusklight: Sandy tom with white and gold dapples.

Apprentice: Minnowpaw: White tom with grey spots, a grey stripe down his back and under his chin.

Owlspirit: Terracotta and orange tom with white masking.

Apprentice: Icepaw: Mottled grey, white, black and brown tom.

Nettlesrike: Blue and black she-cat with green eyes.

Flamepool: Orange, red, and yellow she-cat with silver-green eyes.

Queens

Duststorm: Ginger and brown she-cat- expecting Swallowfeather's kits.

Brackenleap: Chocolate brown she-cat- mother of Mistclaw's kits, Rainkit, and Cloudkit.

Turtlepelt: Brown and grey patched she-cat with a yellow underbelly- Mother of Leafshade's kits, Patchkit and Windkit, and adopted mother of Stormkit.

Elders

Wolfeye: Solid grey tom.

Squirrelfoot: Brown tabby she-cat.

Fawnpelt: Fawn and gold tom with blue eyes.

Old Territories Factions****

Sky Faction

Alpha*****: Sky: White she-cat.

Beta******: Falcon: Dappled brown tom.

Earth Faction

Alpha: Earth: Brown tom.

Beta: Mole: Grey and white tom.

Fire Faction

Alpha: Fire: Red she-cat

Ocean Faction

Alpha: Ocean: Blue tom.

* * *

*All leaders take on the suffix -moon to honor the legendary leader Darkmoon after becoming leader. The medicine-cat then uses a secret mixture to create the moon mark on their forehead

**All deputies take on the suffix -shade to honor the legendary deputy Forestshade after becoming deputy.

***All deputy's apprentices take on the suffix -sky to honor the legendary warrior Clearsky after becoming the deputy's apprentice.

****In the Old Territories, there are four factions, descended from the four Great Clans. They are constantly at war.

*****The Alpha is the ruler of the Faction. The Alpha's word is the law, and failure to conform to the Alpha's laws will result in death. When a cat becomes Alpha, they take on the name of their faction. The only way to become Alpha is to be the Alpha's first born child. The second born becomes the Beta. If there are any more than two kits, the remaining become Prey Hunters(1) or Warriors(2). If the Alpha has only one child, then the Beta's first born child will become Beta after the original Beta dies. If the Alpha has no children, then the Beta will become Alpha after the original Alpha dies, and their first born child will become Beta. If the Beta has no children, then the Beta's younger sibling will become Beta after the original Beta becomes Alpha. If the Beta has no younger siblings, then after the Beta becomes Alpha he or she can choose a new Beta from either the Prey Hunters, Warriors, Omegas, or Trainees(5) who have proven themselves.

******The Beta is the second in command of the Faction. Their word can only be overruled by the Alpha. The Beta's children will become Omegas(3), unless the the terms above apply, in which case the first born will become Beta, while the others will still become Omegas.

(1)Prey Hunters are the hunters of the Faction. They hunt prey and feed the Faction. They are always she-cats. When they are pregnant, they move into the Nursery with the other Nursing Mothers(4). Their children become Prey Hunters or Warriors if they are the first or second born. If there are any more than two kits, the remaining become Omegas. They train newborn Prey Hunters, called Hunter Trainees.

(2)Warriors are the fighters of the Faction. They defend the territory, other cats of the Faction and go to war against other Factions. They are always toms. They train the newborn Warriors, called Warrior Trainees.

(3)Omegas are the lowest ranked cats in the Faction. The only way to rise through the ranks is to challenge a higher ranked cat(either Prey Hunters or Warriors, depending on their gender) to battle and win, usually when they have pinned them to the ground three times. Omegas can be toms or she-cats, and they usually perform mundane tasks such as caring for the sick or attending to the Nursing Mothers. They also care for the newborn Omegas, who are referred to as Omega Trainees.

(4)Nursing mothers are pregnant she-cats. They give birth to new Prey Hunters, Warriors or Omegas. If the Alpha is a tom, then the kits that the Alpha's mate gives birth to will either be the next Alpha, the next Beta, or Prey Hunters, Warriors or Omegas, depending on when they are born(The Alpha being the first born, the Beta the second born, Prey Hunters or Warriors being the third and fourth born, the Omegas being the fifth or sixth born). If a Beta is a tom, and if the alpha has only one child, the Beta's mate will either give birth to a Beta(the firstborn) and Omegas(the second, third, fourth, fifth or sixth born). If The Alpha has no children, then the Beta's mate will give birth to the next Alpha(the first born), the next Beta(the second born) and Omegas if they have more than two kits.

Trainees are kits who are training to either become Omegas, Warriors or Omegas.

The Castes of the Factions

1- Alpha.  
2- Beta.  
3- Nursing Mothers, Warriors and Prey Hunters.  
4- Trainees, excepting Omega Trainees.  
5- Omegas, and Omega Trainees.

Skyclan Prey, Territory, Camp, and Important Landmarks

Skyclan's diet includes crab, various fish, birds(starlings, thrush, crows, ravens, and the occasional hawk, eagle or vulture), and mammals(rabbits, vole, mice, and squirrels)

To the east, there lies a lake with sandy islands, on which grow palm trees. To the west, there is a pine forest. To the north, there is dry, open grassland, while to the south is craggy, rough, stony canyon land. In the middle, there is the Camp-this is formed from a mixture of natural recesses in the canyon walls for dens, and briars, brambles and thorns woven to create a defensive wall. The Leader's den is near the bottom of the canyon, just below the Medicine-Cat's den. Above are the warriors', apprentices' and queens and kits' dens. At the very top, there is the Skyrock, where Clan meetings are held every full moon, and where new leaders receive their nine lives. Some important landmarks include the Great Redwood, a giant redwood tree at the heart of the pine forest, the Mooncave, where the Medicine-Cats consult with the Ancestors, and the Aviary, a huge den tended to by all clan-members which houses thousands of lost eggs that are kept warm by the heat rising from the hot-springs in the caves below; when an egg hatches, the chick is cared for, and then released back into the wild to continue its species.


	2. Chapter 1

I've never been exactly...Normal. I have a hard time concentrating. That's not the biggest thing though. I'm deaf. I haven't always been; when I was a kit, I frisked and laughed and pestered the apprentices and warriors to give me badger rides, and there was sound. Glorious, loud wonderful sound. And then...well, you see, I have an older brother, although had might be a better way of putting it. His name was Ashfoot. And he tried to kill me. Dropped me into the river, and I almost drowned. The medicine-cat at the time, Creekripple, told my parents that I hit my head, and that it damaged me. She said I was lucky to be alive. Ashfoot was exiled; he died of an adder bite before he even left the territory. I can still speak, but when I do, it feels hollow. I can read lips so well, no one has ever suspected I am deaf. I suppose that it doesn't matter, really. But now, there's something wrong. I can feel it. Something bad is going to happen. Soon.

I pad out of the Apprentice's Den. Everything is peaceful, then- a scream so loud I can feel the vibrations through my paws shatters the air. I turn a full circle. Then I see Stormkit flailing in the river, her paws desperately churning the surface. Without a thought, I jump. My paws slash through the water as I desperately try to make my way towards the kit. Then, the world slows. I see in slow motion as Stormkit's head hits a rock-like mine did, I think-and her body is dragged under the water, never to be seen again. No, I think, panicking. This can't be happening. I dive into the water, adrenaline driving me, allowing me to survive, numbing me to any and all pain. I see a flash of silver and grey- Stormkit's fur. I lunge forward, grabbing her by the mane of lion-like fur ringing her neck, and push off from the river bed, making my way towards the surface, towards life giving air. When I get close, Copperflame rushes towards me, her lips moving, asking, _Are you alright?_ and _Will she be okay?_

I nod and say, though I can not hear myself speak, "She will." Riversong appears, herding me towards the Medicine-Cat den, and scolds me, the reprimand falling upon deaf ears, for being reckless and babbles about my wounds-I think he does it as a way to distract his patients from the pain-as he dresses my scrapes with goosegrass, binding it with cobwebs.

I promise to be more careful, and slink out of the den, padding back towards the Apprentices' den. However, before I get there, I am intercepted by Palewhisper, who tells me that I have been assigned to Sunhigh hunting patrol. I bite back the urge to sigh-I had been hoping to catch up on sleep-but nod reluctantly and follow. On the way out of camp, I catch Stormkit's eye and give her a quiet smile. She smiles back, fur sticking out as her foster mother, Turtlepelt, grooms her fur, her siblings bouncing around her. In that moment, I see a younger version of myself-like I, she was found near the border, adopted by Skyclan, and like I, she is the eye of the storm-calm, collected, and optimistic(though this is a quality I have lost since the Accident)-and I wonder, for a brief second, what it would be like to be her mentor. This I quickly push away, and pad out onto the dry ground of the canyon that Skyclan has made their home since time immemorial. Palewhisper has us split up into groups of two-her and Minnowpaw heading towards the pines, Silentpaw, who has taken a break from her Medicine-Cat Apprentice duties, and I padding along the narrow paths that line the canyons sides as we head in the opposite direction, towards the lake on the eastern side of our territory. We walk in silence, though it is a pleasant one, for we both are creatures of silence, though for different reasons. When we reach the shore of the lake, we separate-she heads across the stepping stones towards the palm-lined island in the middle, and I wait at the edge of the water, for her specialties lie in crabs that climb the palms, while mine is in the fish that inhabit the sparkling-clear waters of the lake. After a while, the flash of silvery scales catches my eyes, and my paw darts out, lightning fast from practice, flipping the fish out of the water, and it flies through the air in an arch, tail flapping, and lands on the ground next to me. I quickly nip at its back, breaking its spine in one clean snap, and send a silent prayer of thanks to the Ancestors for its life, and continue fishing.

* * *

As the sun begins to lower, Silentpaw rejoins me, her jaws full of prey, and we begin our trek towards camp, thankful that we have caught a large amount of prey-after all, we are in the beginning of Newleaf, and prey isn't usually this plentiful. We meet up with Palewhisper and Swallowflight at the Great Redwood and continue back towards camp.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this one's a bit short

When we finally get back to camp, the sun is setting, bathing the canyon in which we have built our home in blazing reds, fiery oranges and yellows, and soft, barely there hints of violet. The sky is clear, promising no storms for the next day. I select a small starling from the fresh-kill pile, picking it up and padding towards the camp wall. I slip out, unnoticed by my clanmates, and scale a half-dead tree. Depositing my meal inside of the hollow partially hidden by leaves, I climb back down in search of moss for bedding. When I find a patch, I slice it off with one paw, and roll it up, tucking it under my chin while I clamber back up the tree. I wedge the moss into the hollow, before following it in. Then, I spread it out, and settle down, tearing into the bird, though I set aside the feathers to dry for bedding in Greenleaf. Once I am finished, I nuzzle into the nest with a yawn, and close my eyes.

* * *

 _Something's chasing them, big and black, and they run, terror coiling off of their pelt in waves. Reedpaw can feel the other presence in her mind- a she-cat also named Reedpaw- but she feels older, wiser, though it- she- is just as afraid. They bound through meadows, but no matter how fast they go,_ It _is still at their heels, snapping, biting, driving them onwards, away. And now, the land is changing- what was once green, leaf-covered trees becoming skeletons, the very_ ground _is drying up, cracking under their paws, threatening to drop them into the darkness, down whith the_ Others, _and their heart is beating, scrambling to try and get out, and_ It _is getting closer, until it's so close they can feel_ Its _hot, carrion-scented breath, and_ It _lunges forward, and-_

 _Light bursts from every corner, and_ It _whimpers, screams, yowls as_ It  _disintegrates, ash falling into the pit with the_ Others. _There is a whisper, gentle, and it brings a half-forgotten memory of warmth and safety, and a high, lilting voice. Then it grows, a single whisper carried by every voice, echoed until it becomes a chant-_

_"Find the Heart."_

_And both Reedpaws feel confused, and they ask-_

_"What Heart?" and "Where?" and "Why?" but the voices only say-_

_"Find the Heart." until in a single, quiet murmur, they reply, "The Clans have fallen. The Cursed have risen, and only the one who bears the Heart of the Clans can stop Them."_

_And then they are gone, and the darkness is chasing them again, and this time, there is no light, no hope, no salvation, as_ Its _jaws snap around their neck and-_

* * *

I wake, panting and gasping, though I can't remember why. The sun has not risen yet, but it will soon. I carefully slip back into camp, settling into my nest in the Apprentices den- though I haven't slept there since my first day as an Apprentice. When the sun rises, I slowly walk out into the clearing, snagging a small mouse and waiting for Mistclaw, my mentor, to awaken. He does, and sooner than I had expected. He calls me over, and tells me that we will be practicing battle moves today. I nod, acknowledging his order. He tells me to meet him at Aviary after his dawn patrol, and reminds me that I have to help with the chicks. I nod again, and we part ways.


End file.
